From the cutoff seat, Hayden Fortini raised to 36,000. Shaun Walker flat-called on the button and everyone else folded. After the flop came down , Fortini bet 36,000. Walker made the call and off to fourth street they went.
The was added to the board on the turn and Fortini had 269,000 in chips left in his stack. He decided to bet 135,000 of them, or just about half. Walker quickly moved all in and Fortini wasn't too pleased with that. He did make the call and tabled the for just an open-ended straight draw with one to come. Walker held the for kings and tens.
The river completed the board with the and Fortini couldn't spike his eight-outer. He was eliminated on the hand and Walker collected the chips to move to 725,000. Fortini scored over $13,000 for his finish in sixth place.
We have to say we're impressed with the play of amateur Paul Hails today. He came into the final table on the short stack with less than 15bb, but he's cut his way through the first three eliminations and now finds himself with an above-average chip stack after picking up yet another pot.
It began with a raise to 41,000 from Narinder Khasria, and both Patrick Karschamroon (button) and Hails (big blind) came along to the flop. It brought , and Hails checked to the raiser. Khasria took his cue to make a 55,000-chip continuation bet, and Karschamroon flatted in position. It was back on Hails now, and he stacked out a check-raise to 175,000 total, folding both of his opponents in quick succession and earning him the pot right there.
Mark him down for about 880,000 chips now, comfortably in second place overall.
Seneca Easley raised to 43,000 from the cutoff seat. Shaun Walker folded from the small blind and the was accidentally exposed before Narinder Khasria called from the big blind.
The flop came down and both players checked to see the fall on the turn. Khasria bet 65,000 and won the pot. Easley is now down to 340,000 in chips.
Shaun Walker opened the pot to 41,000, and he found action from his neighbor Narinder Khasria to go heads up to the flop.
It came , and Walker check-called a bet of 55,000 from his opponent. On the turn, Walker checked again, allowing Khasria to fire 82,000 more at the pot. Walker then snuck in a check-raise to 250,000 straight, and Khasria didn't waste much time calling.
Walker had about 360,000 chips left by this point, and he bet another 250,000 of them following the river. Khasria couldn't call this time; he tanked for just a minute before releasing his cards to the muck and sending a big pot over to Walker.
He's now got the chip lead with over 1 million as the break hits!
On the first hand back from break, a big pot broke out. We were late catching up to the action, joining on the turn as the board showed . In a battle of the blinds, Paul Hails and Shaun Walker had built a big pot, and it looks like Hails bet the turn and Walker raised to put 350,000 in the middle. With the action back on Hails, he moved all in for the 700,000 chips he had left in front of him, putting Walker to a big decision for nearly his full stack.
It would be several minutes of tank time before Walker surrendered, flashing the as he did.
That big pot slides Walker down to 900,000, boosting Hails into the chip lead with 1.05 million now!
As we were writing that last hand, Paul Hails and Shaun Walker traded those chips back in a follow-up pot. The board was on the river, and the pot ended with Walker calling a bet of 80,000 from Hails.
Hails tabled the airball , and Walker's was good enough to take those chips back and move himself back into the overall lead.
With a raise in front of him, Seneca Easley has three-bet shoved on two of the last three hands, picking up the pots right there both times. That's added about 150,000 chips to his stack, boosting him back up to 485,000.
, Fortini bet 36,000. Walker made the call and off to fourth street they went.
was added to the board on the turn and Fortini had 269,000 in chips left in his stack. He decided to bet 135,000 of them, or just about half. Walker quickly moved all in and Fortini wasn't too pleased with that. He did make the call and tabled the 
for just an open-ended straight draw with one to come. Walker held the 
for kings and tens.
and Fortini couldn't spike his eight-outer. He was eliminated on the hand and Walker collected the chips to move to 725,000. Fortini scored over $13,000 for his finish in sixth place.
, and Hails checked to the raiser. Khasria took his cue to make a 55,000-chip continuation bet, and Karschamroon flatted in position. It was back on Hails now, and he stacked out a check-raise to 175,000 total, folding both of his opponents in quick succession and earning him the pot right there.
was accidentally exposed before Narinder Khasria called from the big blind.
and both players checked to see the 
fall on the turn. Khasria bet 65,000 and won the pot. Easley is now down to 340,000 in chips.
, and Walker check-called a bet of 55,000 from his opponent. On the 
river. Khasria couldn't call this time; he tanked for just a minute before releasing his cards to the muck and sending a big pot over to Walker.
as he did.
, and Walker's 